A rare treat for visitors at Budapest Zoo as polar bears' feeding time gave spectators a chance to watch apex predators feast on Thursday (30 JANUARY 2020).

Budapest zoo's polar bears reach for meat treats

Hungarians go to the polls Sunday in municipal elections seen as a rare chance for the beleaguered opposition to roll back the power of nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orban.

Opposition parties across the political spectrum have joined forces, potentially denying Orban's right-wing Fidesz party a landslide win for the first time in almost a decade.

Since Orban came to power in 2010, he has overhauled election rules, making it more difficult for opposition parties to compete individually against Fidesz.

The main battleground is the capital Budapest, where Gergely Karacsony, 44, is neck-and-neck in polling for the mayor's post with the Fidesz-backed incumbent Istvan Tarlos, who like Orban has been in office since 2010.

Karacsony has compared the Budapest race to the Istanbul mayoral election in March, in which the candidate of Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan's party was defeated by the opposition challenger.

"Istanbul voted against an aggressive illiberal power in many ways similar to Orban's regime," Karacsony told AFP.

After sweeping to power, Orban pushed through swathes of new legislation, including measures that critics at home and abroad say have neutered key democratic institutions such as the media and the judiciary in the EU member state.

Critics say some of those reforms helped Fidesz to rout opposition parties at parliamentary, European and local elections despite around half of the electorate often voting against it.

Now, in many municipalities just one opposition challenger is lining up against Fidesz.

Outside the capital tight races are also forecast in several currently Fidesz-run cities like Miskolc, Pecs, and Szombathely, as well as in most of Budapest's 23 district municipalities.

Hopes of opposition gains increased last week after a sex scandal involving a Fidesz mayor erupted, threatening to erode the party's support nationwide.

An anonymous blogger posted explicit pictures and videos of the mayor of the western city of Gyor taking part in an orgy on a yacht in Croatia.&nbsp;

Fidesz leaders, who brand the party as a Christian-conservative one promoting family values, have sought to downplay the scandal. But analysts say its impact on voters is still unclear.

Around 1,000 people demonstrated against Fidesz in Gyor late Saturday, with opposition politicians from different parties urging the crowd to vote out the mayor.

Observers see the elections as a litmus test for the opposition's new strategy of cooperation, which could offer a way to challenge Orban in the next general election in 2022.

The opposition is expected to make gains Sunday from its 2014 results and possibly win the Budapest mayoralty. But it needs to do well in the countryside to stand a chance in 2022, says Andras Biro-Nagy of the Policy Solutions think-tank.&nbsp;

"Budapest has symbolic value of course, but it is equally important to win provincial cities and build roots and infrastructure there, that is where 2022 will be won or lost," he told AFP.

Hungarians go to the polls Sunday in municipal elections seen as a rare chance for the beleaguered opposition to roll back the power of nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orban.

Hungarians go to the polls Sunday in municipal elections seen as a rare chance for the beleaguered opposition to roll back the power of nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orban. Opposition parties across the political spectrum have joined forces, potentially denying Orban's right-wing Fidesz party a landslide win for the first time in almost a decade. Since Orban came to power in 2010, he has overhauled election rules, making it more difficult for opposition parties to compete individually against Fidesz. The main battleground is the capital Budapest, where Gergely Karacsony, 44, is neck-and-neck in polling for the mayor's post with the Fidesz-backed incumbent Istvan Tarlos, who like Orban has been in office since 2010. Karacsony has compared the Budapest race to the Istanbul mayoral election in March, in which the candidate of Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan's party was defeated by the opposition challenger. "Istanbul voted against an aggressive illiberal power in many ways similar to Orban's regime," Karacsony told AFP. After sweeping to power, Orban pushed through swathes of new legislation, including measures that critics at home and abroad say have neutered key democratic institutions such as the media and the judiciary in the EU member state. Critics say some of those reforms helped Fidesz to rout opposition parties at parliamentary, European and local elections despite around half of the electorate often voting against it. Now, in many municipalities just one opposition challenger is lining up against Fidesz. Outside the capital tight races are also forecast in several currently Fidesz-run cities like Miskolc, Pecs, and Szombathely, as well as in most of Budapest's 23 district municipalities. Hopes of opposition gains increased last week after a sex scandal involving a Fidesz mayor erupted, threatening to erode the party's support nationwide. An anonymous blogger posted explicit pictures and videos of the mayor of the western city of Gyor taking part in an orgy on a yacht in Croatia. Fidesz leaders, who brand the party as a Christian-conservative one promoting family values, have sought to downplay the scandal. But analysts say its impact on voters is still unclear. Around 1,000 people demonstrated against Fidesz in Gyor late Saturday, with opposition politicians from different parties urging the crowd to vote out the mayor. Observers see the elections as a litmus test for the opposition's new strategy of cooperation, which could offer a way to challenge Orban in the next general election in 2022. The opposition is expected to make gains Sunday from its 2014 results and possibly win the Budapest mayoralty. But it needs to do well in the countryside to stand a chance in 2022, says Andras Biro-Nagy of the Policy Solutions think-tank. "Budapest has symbolic value of course, but it is equally important to win provincial cities and build roots and infrastructure there, that is where 2022 will be won or lost," he told AFP.

Hungary opposition eyes Budapest, gains in local elections

An airplane operated by Czech airline Smartwings made an <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/emergency-landing-by-united-flight-briefly-closes-newark-airport-231656">emergency landing</a> shortly after takeoff at Budapest's Liszt Ferenc Airport on Thursday after its landing gear was damaged, a spokesman for Budapest Airport told national news agency MTI.

Smartwings' Boeing 737-400 plane bound for Hurghada in Egypt, with 151 passengers and nine crew on board, returned to Budapest and landed safely, MTI reported. No one was injured.

Smartwings is the largest Czech airline and one of the fastest growing airlines in Central Europe, according to its website.

An airplane operated by Czech airline Smartwings made an emergency landing shortly after takeoff at Budapest's Liszt Ferenc Airport on Thursday after its landing gear was damaged, a spokesman for Budapest Airport told national news agency MTI.

An airplane operated by Czech airline Smartwings made an emergency landing shortly after takeoff at Budapest's Liszt Ferenc Airport on Thursday after its landing gear was damaged, a spokesman for Budapest Airport told national news agency MTI. Smartwings' Boeing 737-400 plane bound for Hurghada in Egypt, with 151 passengers and nine crew on board, returned to Budapest and landed safely, MTI reported. No one was injured. Smartwings is the largest Czech airline and one of the fastest growing airlines in Central Europe, according to its website.

Czech airline Smartwings-operated Boeing makes emergency landing in Budapest

Seven South Koreans have died and 19 others are missing after a tourist sightseeing boat capsized and sank on the Danube in Budapest, Hungarian and South Korean officials said Thursday.

The accident happened near the parliament building in the heart of the Hungarian capital after a collision with a larger river cruise boat during torrential rain at around 09:15 pm (1915 GMT) on Wednesday, according to local media.

A total of 33 South Koreans were onboard, Seoul's foreign ministry said, confirming the seven dead were Korean.&nbsp;

The 26-metre tourist boat, called the "Mermaid," was also carrying two Hungarian crew members.

"Our services have recorded the death of seven people," Pal Gyorfi, a spokesman for Hungarian emergency services, said early Thursday morning.

"Another seven people have been taken to hospital in a stable condition with hypothermia and shock symptoms," Gyorfi added.

The temperature of the river is between 10 and 15 degrees, according to local media.

Searches with the help of divers continued through the night for the missing, said officials.

Heavy rainfall since the beginning of May has led to high water levels and fast-moving river current, complicating rescue efforts.

The accident happened on a popular part of the Danube river for pleasure trips, from where passengers can view the city and its parliament building&nbsp; 
illuminated at night.

The boat was regularly serviced and had no apparent technical faults, Mihaly Toth, a spokesman for Panorama Deck that owned the vessel, told the Hungarian news agency MTI.&nbsp;&nbsp;

"It was a routine sightseeing trip," said Toth.

"We know nothing about how it happened, the authorities are investigating, all we know is that it sank quickly," he said. &nbsp;

An eye-witness told the Index.hu news-site that the Mermaid, which could hold 60 people on board, had been hit from behind by a large river cruise boat.

The wreckage of the Mermaid was found on the riverbed after several hours of searching near the Margaret Bridge, one of the main bridges connecting the two parts of the Hungarian capital, local media said.

Access to the river has been blocked by the authorities, according to public television.&nbsp;

South Korea's President Moon Jae-in had instructed the government to "deploy all available resources" for the rescue, the presidential office said.

Seoul planned to send a team of 18 officials to assist the Hungarian authorities in Budapest, South Korea's Yonhap news agency reported.&nbsp;

Embassy staff have also been assisting the emergency services in the identification of victims.

The Hungarian interior and health ministers visited the scene to express condolences to the families of the victims.

Seven South Koreans have died and 19 others are missing after a tourist sightseeing boat capsized and sank on the Danube in Budapest, Hungarian and South Korean officials said Thursday.

Seven South Koreans have died and 19 others are missing after a tourist sightseeing boat capsized and sank on the Danube in Budapest, Hungarian and South Korean officials said Thursday. The accident happened near the parliament building in the heart of the Hungarian capital after a collision with a larger river cruise boat during torrential rain at around 09:15 pm (1915 GMT) on Wednesday, according to local media. A total of 33 South Koreans were onboard, Seoul's foreign ministry said, confirming the seven dead were Korean. The 26-metre tourist boat, called the "Mermaid," was also carrying two Hungarian crew members. "Our services have recorded the death of seven people," Pal Gyorfi, a spokesman for Hungarian emergency services, said early Thursday morning. "Another seven people have been taken to hospital in a stable condition with hypothermia and shock symptoms," Gyorfi added. The temperature of the river is between 10 and 15 degrees, according to local media. Searches with the help of divers continued through the night for the missing, said officials. Heavy rainfall since the beginning of May has led to high water levels and fast-moving river current, complicating rescue efforts. The accident happened on a popular part of the Danube river for pleasure trips, from where passengers can view the city and its parliament building illuminated at night. The boat was regularly serviced and had no apparent technical faults, Mihaly Toth, a spokesman for Panorama Deck that owned the vessel, told the Hungarian news agency MTI. "It was a routine sightseeing trip," said Toth. "We know nothing about how it happened, the authorities are investigating, all we know is that it sank quickly," he said. An eye-witness told the Index.hu news-site that the Mermaid, which could hold 60 people on board, had been hit from behind by a large river cruise boat. The wreckage of the Mermaid was found on the riverbed after several hours of searching near the Margaret Bridge, one of the main bridges connecting the two parts of the Hungarian capital, local media said. Access to the river has been blocked by the authorities, according to public television. South Korea's President Moon Jae-in had instructed the government to "deploy all available resources" for the rescue, the presidential office said. Seoul planned to send a team of 18 officials to assist the Hungarian authorities in Budapest, South Korea's Yonhap news agency reported. Embassy staff have also been assisting the emergency services in the identification of victims. The Hungarian interior and health ministers visited the scene to express condolences to the families of the victims.

Seven South Koreans dead, 19 missing after boat sinks in Budapest

Thousands protest for academic freedom in Budapest

Hungary's public phone booths adapt to the world of cellphones

Tens of thousands of Hungarians marched to Parliament as the staged an anti-Orban protest against the unfair election system which gave prime minister Viktor Orban another victory in the recent polls.

The crowd of protesters were chanting "We are the majority'' as they staged a protest demanded a recount of ballots and new election law to make the system more democratic.

The protestors have alleged Orban of corruption and abuse of power.

<a href="Orban is in power since 2010 as is accused of manipulating the elections through muzzling media. Critics also say that he has curbed judicial independence.">Viktor Orban of Fidesz party came to power</a> on Sunday for the third time as his hate-campaign against immigrants secured him a strong majority in the polls.

Fidesz received 49 per cent of national party list votes and its candidates won 91 of 106 single-member constituencies, most of them in rural areas. Leftist opposition candidates carried two-thirds of the voting districts in Budapest.

There was a similar split between ages, with support for&nbsp;Orban's Fidesz at 37 percent among voters below 30, rising gradually to 46 percent among those older than 50, according to a survey by think tank Median published earlier this week.

Orban is in power since 2010 as is accused of manipulating the elections through muzzling media. Critics also say that he has curbed judicial independence.

The protestors demanded new election laws, a recount of ballots a non-partisan public media and united opposition.

Protestors marched towards parliament with singing European Union and Hungary's national anthem with their respective flags as well. Protestors have also vowed to hold another demonstration next week.

Following the massive protest, the large number of security police was deployed to the area. Riot officers were also present. However, the crowd remained peaceful.

According to reports, a majority of demonstrators were young people.

Several other parties opposing Orban's government also participated in the demonstration.

(With inputs from Reuters)

 
&nbsp;

The crowd of protesters were chanting 'We are the majority' as they staged a protest demanded a recount of ballots and new election law to make the system more democratic

Tens of thousands of Hungarians marched to Parliament as the staged an anti-Orban protest against the unfair election system which gave prime minister Viktor Orban another victory in the recent polls. The crowd of protesters were chanting "We are the majority'' as they staged a protest demanded a recount of ballots and new election law to make the system more democratic. The protestors have alleged Orban of corruption and abuse of power. Viktor Orban of Fidesz party came to power on Sunday for the third time as his hate-campaign against immigrants secured him a strong majority in the polls. Fidesz received 49 per cent of national party list votes and its candidates won 91 of 106 single-member constituencies, most of them in rural areas. Leftist opposition candidates carried two-thirds of the voting districts in Budapest. There was a similar split between ages, with support for Orban's Fidesz at 37 percent among voters below 30, rising gradually to 46 percent among those older than 50, according to a survey by think tank Median published earlier this week. Orban is in power since 2010 as is accused of manipulating the elections through muzzling media. Critics also say that he has curbed judicial independence. The protestors demanded new election laws, a recount of ballots a non-partisan public media and united opposition. Protestors marched towards parliament with singing European Union and Hungary's national anthem with their respective flags as well. Protestors have also vowed to hold another demonstration next week. Following the massive protest, the large number of security police was deployed to the area. Riot officers were also present. However, the crowd remained peaceful. According to reports, a majority of demonstrators were young people. Several other parties opposing Orban's government also participated in the demonstration. (With inputs from Reuters)

Tens of thousands of people hold anti-Orban protest in Hungary's Budapest

The EU took Hungary to the bloc&#39;s top court on Thursday over a crackdown on education and foreign-backed civil society groups that critics say targets US billionaire George Soros.

The move underscores the EU&#39;s toughening stance toward both the government of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and his right-wing allies in Poland over the bloc&#39;s democracy norms and migration.

Brussels warned Budapest in October that it would take the case to the European Court of Justice, the top court in the 28-nation EU, if it did not take the necessary measures to comply.

The European Commission -- the executive arm of the EU -- said Hungary had repeatedly failed to answer its concerns over both cases.

It said in a statement that it was suing Hungary as the education law &quot;disproportionally restricts EU and non-EU universities in their operations and needs to be brought back in line with EU law.&quot;

Hungary has introduced an education law that could shut the Soros-founded Central University in Budapest, which has long been seen as a hostile bastion of liberalism by Orban&#39;s right-wing government.

In June, Hungary approved a law aimed at forcing civil society groups receiving more than 24,000 euros ($26,000) annually in overseas funding to register as a &quot;foreign-supported organisation&quot;, or face closure.&nbsp;

In a separate statement, the commission said that the laws on foreign non-governmental organisations &quot;indirectly discriminate and disproportionately restrict donations from abroad to civil society organisations.&quot;

The European Commission announced on Thursday that it was also taking Hungary, the Czech Republic and Poland to court over their refusal to accept refugees under a controversial EU scheme.

The EU took Hungary to the bloc's top court on Thursday over a crackdown on education and foreign-backed civil society groups that critics say targets US billionaire George Soros

The EU took Hungary to the bloc's top court on Thursday over a crackdown on education and foreign-backed civil society groups that critics say targets US billionaire George Soros. The move underscores the EU's toughening stance toward both the government of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and his right-wing allies in Poland over the bloc's democracy norms and migration. Brussels warned Budapest in October that it would take the case to the European Court of Justice, the top court in the 28-nation EU, if it did not take the necessary measures to comply. The European Commission -- the executive arm of the EU -- said Hungary had repeatedly failed to answer its concerns over both cases. It said in a statement that it was suing Hungary as the education law "disproportionally restricts EU and non-EU universities in their operations and needs to be brought back in line with EU law." Hungary has introduced an education law that could shut the Soros-founded Central University in Budapest, which has long been seen as a hostile bastion of liberalism by Orban's right-wing government. In June, Hungary approved a law aimed at forcing civil society groups receiving more than 24,000 euros ($26,000) annually in overseas funding to register as a "foreign-supported organisation", or face closure. In a separate statement, the commission said that the laws on foreign non-governmental organisations "indirectly discriminate and disproportionately restrict donations from abroad to civil society organisations." The European Commission announced on Thursday that it was also taking Hungary, the Czech Republic and Poland to court over their refusal to accept refugees under a controversial EU scheme.

EU takes Hungary to court over 'anti-Soros' laws

Hungary will hold a referendum on October 2 on European Union (EU) &nbsp;plans to relocate migrants among member states, a scheme fiercely opposed by right-wing Prime Minister Viktor Orban, the President said today. 
 
&quot;As president of the republic I decree that the referendum will be held on October 2,&quot; President Janos Ader said in a statement.&nbsp; 
 
Orban`s government voted against the EU plan to relocate 160,000 migrants around the 28-nation bloc via mandatory quotas but the scheme was approved by a majority of member states in September. 
 
Joining Slovakia in filing a legal challenge against the plan, Orban said earlier this year that the government would put the issue to a referendum. 
 
Voters will be asked: &quot;Do you want the EU to prescribe the mandatory relocation of non-Hungarian citizens to Hungary without the approval of the Hungarian parliament?&quot; 
 
Budapest says that the plan which has been extremely slow to get going -violates its national sovereignty and that &quot;terrorists&quot; might enter the country disguised as migrants. 
 
Orban has said that Brussels has no right to &quot;redraw Europe&#39;s cultural and religious identity&quot;. 
 
Around 400,000 migrants and refugees passed through Hungary in 2015 before the government sealed off the southern borders with razor wire and fences in the autumn. 
 
The authorities also brought in tough new laws punishing illegal entry and vandalism of the fences.&nbsp; 
 
(AFP)

Around 400,000 migrants and refugees passed through Hungary in 2015 before the government sealed southern borders with razor wire and fences

Hungary will hold a referendum on October 2 on European Union (EU) plans to relocate migrants among member states, a scheme fiercely opposed by right-wing Prime Minister Viktor Orban, the President said today. "As president of the republic I decree that the referendum will be held on October 2," President Janos Ader said in a statement. Orban`s government voted against the EU plan to relocate 160,000 migrants around the 28-nation bloc via mandatory quotas but the scheme was approved by a majority of member states in September. Joining Slovakia in filing a legal challenge against the plan, Orban said earlier this year that the government would put the issue to a referendum. Voters will be asked: "Do you want the EU to prescribe the mandatory relocation of non-Hungarian citizens to Hungary without the approval of the Hungarian parliament?" Budapest says that the plan which has been extremely slow to get going -violates its national sovereignty and that "terrorists" might enter the country disguised as migrants. Orban has said that Brussels has no right to "redraw Europe's cultural and religious identity". Around 400,000 migrants and refugees passed through Hungary in 2015 before the government sealed off the southern borders with razor wire and fences in the autumn. The authorities also brought in tough new laws punishing illegal entry and vandalism of the fences. (AFP)

Hungary to hold October referendum on EU migrant scheme

Hungary passed a law on Monday that allows police to send back illegal migrants detained within eight kilometres (five miles) of its southern frontier to the Serbian side of the border fence, drawing criticism from the U.N. refugee agency. 
 
A razor-wire fence built along Hungary&#39;s southern border with Serbia and Croatia has helped to reduce sharply the flow of migrants from the hundreds of thousands who last year migrated from the Balkans towards northern Europe, especially Germany. 
 
However, a steady trickle of migrants is still arriving at Hungary&#39;s border with Serbia. Budapest has set up two transit zones there where migrants can submit a request for asylum. 
 
&quot;The aim... is to allow (the authorities) to escort back across the gates of the border defence facility third-country nationals who are in Hungary illegally and who were detained within eight km of the border,&quot; the reasoning of the law said. 
 
Serbian officials were not immediately available to comment. 
 
So far&nbsp;this year&nbsp;Hungary has registered 19,140 asylum applications and more than 14,000 migrants have crossed its southern borders illegally, according to government data. 
 
Hungary has recently limited the number of daily admissions into the transit zone to a maximum of 30, government spokesman Zoltan Kovacs said last week. He added that Hungary was following European and international law as well as Hungarian protocols for admission. 
 
That narrow bottleneck has caused migrants to amass in makeshift camps near the transit zones. The camps are still on Hungarian territory but on the southern side of the fence. 
 
The U.N. refugee agency said the new law approved by Hungary&#39;s parliament would only exacerbate the situation of those waiting to be able to submit an asylum application. 
 
Erno Simon, a UNHCR spokesman in Budapest, said it would force migrants to wait outside the transit zones and could prompt many to turn to human traffickers. 
 
&quot;Obviously, this will only exacerbate the inhumane conditions at the two transit zones,&quot; Simon said. 
 
Another rights group, the Hungarian Helsinki Committee, accused the government of wanting to keep the number of migrants as low as possible. 
 
Helsinki Committee co-chair Marta Pardavi said that, based on the new legislation, police would escort migrants back to the other side of the fence to the transit zones where they would have to queue without basic amenities. This way migrants would basically be &quot;booted out&quot; of the country, said Pardavi. 
 
&quot;Instead of providing proper treatment and procedures prescribed by law, the aim is to have ... no asylum seekers arriving in Hungary,&quot; she further added.

According to U.N. refugee agency, the new migrant law in Hungry will worsen the situation for those waiting to submit asylum application

Hungary passed a law on Monday that allows police to send back illegal migrants detained within eight kilometres (five miles) of its southern frontier to the Serbian side of the border fence, drawing criticism from the U.N. refugee agency. A razor-wire fence built along Hungary's southern border with Serbia and Croatia has helped to reduce sharply the flow of migrants from the hundreds of thousands who last year migrated from the Balkans towards northern Europe, especially Germany. However, a steady trickle of migrants is still arriving at Hungary's border with Serbia. Budapest has set up two transit zones there where migrants can submit a request for asylum. "The aim... is to allow (the authorities) to escort back across the gates of the border defence facility third-country nationals who are in Hungary illegally and who were detained within eight km of the border," the reasoning of the law said. Serbian officials were not immediately available to comment. So far this year Hungary has registered 19,140 asylum applications and more than 14,000 migrants have crossed its southern borders illegally, according to government data. Hungary has recently limited the number of daily admissions into the transit zone to a maximum of 30, government spokesman Zoltan Kovacs said last week. He added that Hungary was following European and international law as well as Hungarian protocols for admission. That narrow bottleneck has caused migrants to amass in makeshift camps near the transit zones. The camps are still on Hungarian territory but on the southern side of the fence. The U.N. refugee agency said the new law approved by Hungary's parliament would only exacerbate the situation of those waiting to be able to submit an asylum application. Erno Simon, a UNHCR spokesman in Budapest, said it would force migrants to wait outside the transit zones and could prompt many to turn to human traffickers. "Obviously, this will only exacerbate the inhumane conditions at the two transit zones," Simon said. Another rights group, the Hungarian Helsinki Committee, accused the government of wanting to keep the number of migrants as low as possible. Helsinki Committee co-chair Marta Pardavi said that, based on the new legislation, police would escort migrants back to the other side of the fence to the transit zones where they would have to queue without basic amenities. This way migrants would basically be "booted out" of the country, said Pardavi. "Instead of providing proper treatment and procedures prescribed by law, the aim is to have ... no asylum seekers arriving in Hungary," she further added.

New law allows Hungary police to return migrants beyond border fence

budapest

Budapest, News on Budapest, stories on Budapest, articles on Budapest, Budapest stories at Wion, Budapest news, Budapest latest news